Today is the first National Vietnam War Veterans Day, and it'll stay that way.

March 29, which in 1973 was the day the last combat troops were ordered out of Vietnam, will permanently be a day to honor veterans of the war that defined a generation and continues hold a complicated legacy.

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The bipartisan Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, authored by Sens. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), was signed into law Tuesday by President Donald Trump.

The bill says March 29 is a day "the flag should be displayed."

In a release, Toomey recognized the progress made after "in many cases, Vietnam veterans did not receive the warm welcome they earned when they came home," but he called the act a "small, yet significant step."

The passage of the act holds great significance for Sgt. Harold Redding, a Vietnam vet from York, Pa., who came up the the idea.

"For the past 27 months, I have worked on designating March 29th as National Vietnam War Veterans Day and words can't describe what the enactment of this bill means to me," Redding said.

Out of 3.4 million service members deployed to Southeast Asia, there were 58,220 killed and 153,303 wounded, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"These Americans sacrificed to protect our country - they are our family, friends, and neighbors," Donnelly said, "and it is important to honor and remember their patriotism, service, and sacrifice."